Kopraan
by mariosdick
Summary: Ciirta just wants to be left alone, but Ulfric has other plans.
1. Chapter 1

Ciirta's long light blonde hair whipped around her dark face as she slipped through the doors of Windhelm just as they were closing from another person leaving. By Sithis, it was cold. Why did she have to come to the snowiest place in Skyrim just to kill some daughter of an already grieving mother? As if her job wasn't cruel enough already. She nuzzled her face deeper into her thick woollen scarf, regretting taking the extra time for the bonus. When she heard shouts, she stopped and noticed a Dunmer woman being harassed by two Nord men. She groaned internally when she remembered overhearing talk in the taverns about the cruelty against Dunmers in this city.

"Hey! You filthy Nords leave her alone!" She shouted at the men. "What did she do to you?"

"Those disgusting Dark Elves refuse to help the Stormcloaks while they laze around all day! Why shouldn't we confront them? They're probably working for the Empire!" One retorted. From his breath, it was clear that he was drunk.

"Where's the proof that you aren't helping the Empire?" Ciirta retorted. "Stop it with the accusations."

"What grounds do you have, ya stinkin' Imperial! Get out of our city, before ya get any information to tell that milk-drinker Tullius!"

"I believe that Windhelm is open to all travelers, and you, I assume having little standing in this city, have no power to throw me out."

"Ya damned spy! I'll beat the shit out of ya, send ya running for Mama!"

The foolish drunk charged at her, but didn't get close before he tripped and knocked himself out. The other Nord groaned and dragged his unconscious body away. Ciirta sighed and headed to the inn.

"W-Wait!"

Ciirta turned, and saw the Dunmer running towards her.

"I just wanted to thank you for getting those Nords off my back. They get drunk most nights and stumble around the Gray Quarter, yelling insults at us. As if we didn't have enough to deal with already."

"The Gray Quarter?" Ciirta questioned. The term was unfamiliar to her.

"Have you not heard of the Gray Quarter? It's where the Jarl threw us Dunmer after we fled to Skyrim to escape the Red Mountain's eruption. It's the slum of the city, full of Dark Elves and Nords who are looking to insult those who can't fight back. The racism is so fucking thick here, I don't know why I haven't already packed up and left."

Ciirta swore under her breath. "I'll see if I can talk to the Jarl to change the conditions, or maybe act as a guard sometimes if that doesn't work. Fuck, it's not like the real guards are doing anything."

"Really? You would talk to the Jarl for us? Thanks, but I doubt you'll knock any sense into our lovely leader."

And on that jolly note, Ciirta resigned herself to her fatigue and bid adieu to her newfound friend to fall limply upon a shitty bed in Candlehearth Hall.

Upon the daily jolt of consciousness that comes inevitably every morning (side effect of being a murderer for a living), Ciirta dragged herself out of bed to hunt the lone Shatter-Shield child. But she fell prey to the winding streets of the windy city, somehow finding herself at the fires in front of the palace after passing the Aretino house. Figuring she should tackle the Dunmer problem while she was there, Ciirta stepped into the Palace of the Kings.

So, I hope you like this start! I wrote a bunch of this story before finally working up the guts to publish it, so I'll just edit the next few chapters a bit, and they'll be here soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Stepping into the palace, the request for a rush of warmth was denied by the palace's icy air. Ciirta's inner wish for anonymity in this palace was compromised by her past with Jarl Stormcloak, a past based on an experience not easy to forget. Ciirta and Ulfric shared the wonderful moment of being attacked by the king of dragons together, and she hoped that she didn't make much of an impression.

"I don't like Imperials just barging into my palace, girl." Ulfric spoke loudly and suddenly, and she jumped. His voice was surprisingly deep.

"I-um, I wanted to speak to you about the state of the Dunmer residents in this city. You see, they're-"

"Why should I care about the Dark Elves? I have an army to lead, this city to govern. The Dark Elves can have what they can get, and take what they don't have." This man was frustrating her with only a few sentences. No wonder the Dunmer weren't getting basic rights.

"You see, Jarl Ulfric, the Dunmer don't have the opportunity to grasp their basic needs-"

"Do I know you?" He boomed, cutting her off again. Shit, he remembered her, if only a little bit.

"No, I don't believe so." She said strongly. "Now, if you won't listen to my proposal, I'll take my leave."

Turning to leave, she was stopped by a powerful sounding "Wait!" from the Jarl.

Gritting her teeth and slowly turning back around, she faced Ulfric.

"What is is, my Jarl?" She asked, trying to sound calm.

"I am sure I know you from somewhere. Do you live in this city?"

"No," Ciirta responded. "I am a traveler."

"Ah," Ulfric said. "Well, do stick around in the city for a while, in case I find time to handle these Dunmer."

"Of course, Jarl." She said to him. "_Fuck no, not in a million years."_ She thought to herself as she swiftly left the palace.

Nilsine went quietly that night, and Ciirta was gone early enough to avoid the pained cries of her parents as they discovered they had lost both of their beloved daughters.

Ulfric's mind wouldn't rest. Something about this girl nagged at him, something was wrong. He left his throne to seek out a soldier to send for her, and came across Ralof.

"Hail, Jarl Ulfric!" Ralof greeted cheerfully.

"Yes, hello…" Ulfric replied distantly. "Ralof, do you think you could help me with something?"

"Anything, Jarl Ulfric! I'm here to serve you!"

"Well, can you help me identify a person? She's an Imperial, with skin dark like a Redguard's, but hair finer than that of a Nord's. I believe you may have seen her. Any ideas?"

"Jarl, while that does sound familiar, I can't place it currently. Given some time, I may be able to remember."

"Alright, whatever you need. Send some men to search the city, I believe she's staying a little bit longer in Windhelm."

"I'll get right on that, sir."

"Good." Ulfric grunted, heading back to his throne.

"Sir. Sir!" Ulfric was jolted awake by Ralof.

"What? What's happening?"

"Sir, you fell asleep on your throne."

"What? Oh… I must be getting too little sleep at night."

"Right… Anyway, Jarl Ulfric, I've recieved news from my men. There are no Imperials in the city with dark skin and light hair."

Ulfric groaned. "Shit..ah, fetch me a pen and paper. And a courier, too."

"Yes, I'm on it, sir."

Ugh, I hate this title. Any ideas for a new one? I edited this chapter really late at night, so it's not really that good.


	3. Chapter 3

After riding the entire day, Ciirta was ready to set up camp for the night when she saw the glimmer of a city with sleep blurred eyes.

"Faster, Frost," She mumbled to her horse, digging her heels into Frost's sides. It seemed like forever, but she finally reached Whiterun's stables. After paying Skulvar, Ciirta stumbled into the city and somehow made it into the inn.

"One room, please." She yawned.

"That'll be ten gold, dear." Hulda replied. "My, aren't you tired?"

"Yeah, I've been riding all day. I'm really sore too. Here's your gold, just get me a bed."

"Right this way."

Ciirta was wondering why the skeleton was bashing its shield so many goddamn times when she realized that it was just Hulda knocking on her door. She groaned and started to get out of bed.

"What is it?" Ciirta groaned, stretching widely.

"I was just wondering how long you were going to stay? You only rented one night, and I need to get to cleaning." Hulda asked nervously through the door.

"Why are you asking so early? I need my sleep."

"Dear, you've slept through most of the day. It's five in the afternoon."

That jolted Ciirta awake.

"What! I need to go!"

Ciirta was in such a rush to throw on her armor she didn't hear Hulda's huff and angry steps downstairs. Ciirta dressed and was out the door in record time, on her horse and headed to Falkreath within the minute.

"How did the contract go? No bounties, I hope?" Astrid asked.

"No, I didn't get any bounties. I had to go to Windhelm, and the guards around there are all lazy drunks."

"Good, good," She replied distractedly. "Listen, Ciirta, I've been suspicious of Cicero. He's been talking to someone in a room alone, and I want to find out who that is and what they're doing."

"Astrid, don't you think you're being a little paranoid? Cicero's clearly insane, he can't do that much harm."

"Still, I want you to find out what's happening in there. They're meeting soon, and I want you to listen in. But you can't just hide in the shadows, no, they would see you. You need to be completely unseeable, in a wonderful hiding place. A place like, maybe, the Night Mother's coffin?"

"Astrid! Don't you think that's a little disrespectful?"

"Pah! She probably wants some sane company, she's only got Cicero oiling her once a week. If she even notices you're there, of course."

"All right, I'll go hide now. I'll report back as soon as possible."

Astrid smiled. "Good. I'll see you then."

Sighing, she went to the Night Mother's room. The coffin had a simple lock on it, nothing too hard for anyone with any lockpicking experience at all. It was a little disgusting being trapped in a tiny stone cell with a woman who's been dead for hundreds of years, but she pinched her nose and looked away.

Cicero soon came in, checking the corners of the room and making sure no one was in there.

"Are we alone…? Yes, alone! Ha ha ha! Sweet solitude!" He sounded more insane than he usually did.

"I've been speaking to the assassins. I think I've started to convince the wizard, and the Argonian… and maybe even the un-child. Have you spoken to anyone? No? No, of course not… I do the walking, the talking, the seeing, and the saying! And what do you do? Nothing!" Ciirta was thinking that maybe the risk of getting caught by an angry Cicero wasn't worth the information Astrid wanted.

"N-not that I'm angry. You will talk when you're ready, won't you? Won't you? Sweet Night Mother!" She wasn't expecting him to be so mad as to talk to the Night Mother. She certainly wasn't expecting another voice joining the fun.

"Poor Cicero," Ciirta felt fear at the grating sound of the new feminine voice. Where could it be coming from, and why didn't Cicero seem to hear it? "Dear Cicero. Such a humble servant. But he will never hear my voice, for he is not the Listener." Cicero wouldn't hear her voice? Could it be that the Night Mother was speaking to her?

"But you are. Yes, you, who shares my iron tomb, who warms my ancient bones. You are the Listener. I give you this task. Go to Volunruud, and speak to Amaund Motierre. Now tell Cicero the words he has been waiting to hear all these years, 'Darkness rises when silence dies.'"

The coffin door swung open, and Ciirta faintly heard Cicero screaming at her.

"-Defiler! Debaser and Defiler! Explain yourself!" Ciirta just looked at him, trying to comprehend what was happening.

"Speak, worm!" Cicero looked ready to kill her, even if she was a sister.

Saying the first words that came to mind, she blurted, "Wait! The Night Mother spoke to me! She said that I was 'the one'!"

"LIES!" He screeched. He might actually explode at this point. "TRICKERY AND DECEIT! The Night Mother speaks only to the Listener! AND THERE IS- NO- LISTENER!" At this point she was truly starting to fear for her life, so she just told him the "words that he has been waiting to hear".

"Wait! She told me to tell you, 'Darkness rises when silence dies'!" Cicero froze.

"She- she said that? She said those words to you? 'Darkness rises when silence dies?' Oh, those are the binding words! She's back! Ha ha! Our lady is back! Ha ha ha ha!" Cicero's happy dance was unfortunately cut short by Astrid's arrival.

"Come out, traitor! We know you're consorting with this madman!" She was looking wildly around the room, searching for the offender.

"Oh, Cicero was speaking to the Night Mother! Cicero only spoke to the Night Mother, but she didn't speak to me, oh no, she spoke only to her!" He gestured to Ciirta dramatically. "To the Listener!"

"What? Listener?" Astrid walked towards her and ignored Cicero's dancing. "Are you alright? When I heard Cicero shouting I knew you'd been discovered. You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I might as well have. Cicero is telling the truth, the Night Mother spoke to me." Ciirta replied, still shaken from the recent events.

"What?" Astrid said sharply. "What did she tell you?"

"She told me to find an Amaund Motierre, in Volunruud."

"Hmm… I don't know of this 'Amaund Motierre', but Volunruud I know of."

"What should I do? Should I go to Volunruud?"

"No, no! I need time to think about this." Astrid seemed distressed. "I am still the leader of this Sanctuary, and you will follow my orders! Go see Nazir, do some work for him."

Ciirta nodded. "Yes, Astrid." She left the room and went to the dining hall that Nazir never seemed to leave.

"Ah, Ciirta!" He greeted her. "Have you some time to spare?"

"Actually, Astrid sent me to do some jobs. Got anything?" She replied.

"How perfect this is! I have some jobs that really need doing!"

"Great! What are they?"

Nazir made a sound of disgust. "Ugh! There's a horrible orc bard up in Morthal, named Lurbuk. I've heard he's quite the mood-wrecker. Simply does not have a musical bone in his body, yet insists on always singing. There have actually been quite a few contracts set out on this guy. We had to hold a lottery to decide which contract to honor. There's also a rather difficult one nearby. It seems that the couple living at Half-Moon mill are both vampires. There's a contract on the husband, Hern. See to it that they no longer draw breath, hmm?"

"I'll get right on it, Nazir. See you in a week or two!" Ciirta waved as she left the room.

Ugh, this chapter looks so much better on google docs, and I don't have enough energy to make it look good here. I don't even know if the line I made will show up, and the indents arent showing up either. I hate this site.


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